Principles

Â 1. Honesty and openness

We are different people within the one human family. We are honestly interested in peace and cooperation with each other. We listen to each other with openness, neither ignoring nor over-emphasising existing differences, the otherness, as "the bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices".1

2. Mutual respect

We show and practise mutual respect for each other's beliefs and opinion, even if we have opposing views or disagreements. We are "creating civilized frameworks to disagree".2 Our intention is to learn from history, not to use history as a weapon against each other. We do not seek confrontation, do not provoke and do not mock the beliefs of the other.

3. Personal participation

Participation in the ICLS is based on personal merit and not on representation of any institution. We are coming from different backgrounds, learning about each other and about individual and collective non-violent skills, and taking personal responsibility in the local and global Network of Trust.

4. Teaching wisdom

Experts can only speak for their own culture or religion. They face participants from other backgrounds, in separate groups during training sessions. They answer any question with wisdom, dignity and empathy even if challenged or provoked.

5. Decisions and action

All ICLS activities should benefit from a balanced male and female participation at all levels. This is giving us greater wisdom in decisions and greater capacity in action. Our independent decisions and actions are taken in friendly partnerships with civic, public and private actors.

6. Proportionate financing

The expenses of any ICLS activities should be financed in a reasonably proportionate way by the different communities involved or affected. Proportionate financing is a tool for communities that are the main and long-term stakeholders of our activities and networks. These communities hold joint ownership with the ICLS and its external supporters.

7. Network of Trust

We jointly implement these principles, in the same way as the two golden lines meet and rise together in the symbol of the ICLS.3 We are leading partnerships for applying the arts of peace in the governance of contemporary diversity.Â

1 Jimmy Carter Nobel lecture, December, 2002

2 El Hassan Bin Talal at OIC-EU Joint Forum, February, 2002

3 Two golden lines coming from opposite directions like writing from right to left and left to right, approach each other, and seem to collide but just before collision they both start rising, crossing each other's path and continue rising together until they spark the light that they can maintain only together. (See the ICLS logo on the top of the page)